Let’s examine what Bernie Sanders supporters did in his name this past weekend.

As the Nevada Democratic convention voted to award a majority of delegates to Hillary Clinton – an accurate reflection of her victory in the state’s February caucuses – Sanders backers charged the stage, threw chairs and shouted vulgar epithets at speakers. Security agents had to protect the dais and ultimately clear the room.

Sanders supporters publicized the cellphone number of the party chairwoman, Roberta Lange, resulting in thousands of abusive text messages and threats:

“Praying to God someone shoots you in the FACE and blows your democracy-stealing head off!”

“We know where you live. Where you work. Where you eat. Where your kids go to school/grandkids… Prepare for hell.”

Veteran Nevada reporter Jon Ralston transcribed some of the choice voicemail messages for the chairwoman, some with vulgar labels for women and their anatomy:

“I think people like you should be hung in a public execution.”

“You … stupid bitch! What the hell are you doing? You’re a … corrupt bitch!”

The day after the convention, Sanders supporters vandalized party headquarters with messages saying, among other things, “you are scum.”

Finally, mid-afternoon Tuesday, Sanders released a statement saying, “I condemn any and all forms of violence, including the personal harassment of individuals.” But he blamed the Nevada party for preventing a “fair and transparent process,” and he threatened Democrats: “If the Democratic Party is to be successful in November, it is imperative that all state parties treat our campaign supporters with fairness and the respect that they have earned.”

It is no longer accurate to say Sanders is campaigning against Clinton, who has essentially locked up the nomination. The Vermont socialist is now running against the Democratic Party. And that’s excellent news for one Donald J. Trump.

“The Sanders Campaign spent its time either ignoring or profiting from the chaos it did much to create,” the Nevada Democratic Party wrote in a formal complaint to the Democratic National Committee. “Part of the approach by the Sanders campaign was to employ these easily incensed delegates as shock troops.”

The Nevada Democrats, warning of similar disruptions at the national convention in July, accused the Sanders campaign of “inciting disruption – and, yes, violence.”

A few weeks ago, I wrote that I wasn’t concerned about Sanders remaining in the race until the very end, because he doesn’t wish to see a President Trump and will ultimately throw his full support to Clinton. Sanders has, indeed, lightened up on Clinton and is instead trying to shape the Democrats’ platform and direction. But his attacks on the party have released something just as damaging to the causes he professes to represent. Coupled with his refusal to raise money for the party, his increasingly harsh rhetoric could hurt Democrats up and down the ballot in November and beyond.

“The Democratic Party has to reach a fundamental conclusion: Are we on the side of working people or big-money interests?” he asks.

“The Democratic Party up to now has not been clear about which side they are on on the major issues facing this country,” he announces.

This was Ralph Nader’s argument in 2000: There isn’t much difference between the two parties. It produced President George W. Bush. Sanders said at the start of his campaign that he wouldn’t do what Nader did, because there is a difference between the parties.

Yet now his supporters, the Nevada Democratic Party says, are behind “physical threats and intimidation,” “scuffles, screams from bullhorns, and profane insults” and “numerous medical emergencies among delegates pressed up against the dais.”

This, even though they were wrong on the merits. Ralston writes that “the Sanders folks disregarded rules, then when shown the truth, attacked organizers and party officials as tools of a conspiracy to defraud the senator of what was never rightfully his in the first place.”

And this, despite only two additional delegates being at stake, as The Washington Post’s Philip Bump points out – not enough to make a difference in the race.

More to the point, no grievance justifies what happened in Nevada. Yet Sanders, recklessly, is fueling the fire.

Dana Milbank is a columnist for The Washington Post. He can be contacted at:

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xcalibur1066

There have been pockets of violence and intimidation from Sanders fans all over the country.

It will be interesting to see how many “liberal” people who post on here will condemn this type of behavior.

gadfly371

None!

Jenny Yasi

I condemn it 100%. Perpetrators should be identified and indicted. If there is no further investigation of who actually did what then this is just targeted baseless accusations. Where laws are broken arrest criminals! Otherwise do not make Sanders or his supporters guilty of a crime with nothing but hearsay. No video captures any violent act. The phone calls could have come from anyone. The caller’s should be identified and prosecuted, and you’ll find they are not followers of our peacenik candidate.

Bob Rossi

Your comment has a typo. “Sanders” should read “Trump.”

xcalibur1066

Nope… Did you read what Sanders supporters did at a Clinton rally? The attendees had to be escorted out by security. They were spit on, sworn at and harassed. If you search it, you will find it. Turn if the entertainment network, MSNBC, and read the news.

Bob Rossi

What is MSNBC? I don’t have a TV. I did read about it (Nevada), although I’ve also read some contrary info about what happened. I also did read about incidents of violence and intimidation by Trump supporters.

xcalibur1066

But this article isn’t about Trump is it? I posted a comment about violence at a CA Clinton rally but the PPH hasn’t posted it yet.

Here is a quote from an attendee (I am sure a search of the quote will bring you to the source):

“As Hillary supporters made their way out of the gymnasium, an officer in riot gear pointed and said “that way only.” I stopped in my tracks when I saw where he wanted us to go. The sole exit from the campus was a narrow walkway approximately 40 feet long, lined 2-3 people deep on each side with more than a hundred screaming, cursing, jeering, angry Bernie supporters pushing hateful signs into people’s faces. They stood above the path on a two foot cement border wall, looming over and into the walkway, shouting SHAME ON YOU!”

The rest is quite alarming..

I guess you get your news from MSNBC online, or worse CNN online.

jhophyde

The NV convention was a sham! They were angry that Robert’s Rules were not followed in the 15 hours it was held! There votes were not counted. The DNC wants HRC, and it is all fixed for her to be crowned!

xcalibur1066

This is what happens when you buy an election. Mrs. Clinton is already spreading her cash at the local level for the primaries. The DNC is broke without Clinton Cash.

TS13

I wonder what your comment would have been if those supporters would have been for Trump…..

xcalibur1066

That doesn’t make a difference. This article is about Sanders supporters, not Trump. All those who spoke out about these type of tactics (imagined, contrived or real), posted hundreds of comments condemning the behavior. I was just curious.

TS13

As am I, because the Donald seems to provoke violence by speaking to it directly to his supports, although someone must have told him to tone it down.

xcalibur1066

“Trump” is a deflection and is irrelevant to this article. This is about some of Sanders supporters and their violent, harassing, abusive tactics. If your intent to make Sanders “look good” by comparing him to Trump. You failed. So have your brethren.

TS13

What nonsense. Its not hard for anyone with any common decency to look good next to Trump. I have no intention of making anyone “look good” nor do I possess that kind of power. Of course I did used to watch “I Dream of Jeannie” when I was younger so I guess I can try the head bob.

xcalibur1066

So, why if the article is about Sanders supporters do you deflect to Trump? haha. Why not just condemn the Sanders supporters who are using this type of tactic.

Goddess of the left : “California Sen. Dianne Feinstein warned that Bernie Sanders’ intention to take his candidacy to the Democratic convention in July could spark unrest similar to the chaotic 1968 convention in Chicago and the riots surrounding it.”

CNN…

jhophyde

This article is based on lies and propaganda! It is not true!!

PhilYaz

Not quite. The violence is totally coming from the left, particularly Bernie supporters. Do a little research before you react so thoughtlessly.

Triad

Proof please!

xcalibur1066

This article listed one. I listed another. I am sure you can find more with a simple search. Yes, yes you can. I believe in you!

jhophyde

Not true!! Propaganda on the MSM!

xcalibur1066

So the account I posted by an attendee of the Clinton rally is false?

I think the Sanders supporters have every right to be angry. Our country needs a good kick in the @ss.

gadfly371

God, Milbank is desperate. Most Clinton backers are. They see it all slipping away. One poll even shows Trump ahead of Clinton in a national race. Sanders beat them both. I really suggest Hillary supporters hang it up. Save yourself the agony of defeat. She’s going down. Bill and Chelsea and Huma, too!

Call-Sol

Milbank is the laughing stock of the D.C. politico’s…..no-body takes him seriously, including his favorite source the White House.

Moon cusser

Um, nah.

Unpopular Opinion

Clinton will lose. Trump will win.

If you thought the U.S. was losing power, that will give it away. No country will take us seriously.

todiscus

Invest in gold; the dollar will plummet.

Jenny Yasi

Garbage. There is no evidence that Sanders supporters did these violent acts. The only arrest made was against a Clinton campaigner who attacked a Sanders supporter. These accusations should be investigated and the actual perpetrators should be arrested. If these allegations had any truth to them, people who were actually at the convention would have reported similarly, but former Ohio Sen.Nina Turner who was at the convention for 8 hours through all the turmoil reported that the crowd was upset by cheating and unfair process but not violent. If Clinton or Trump supporters made false propaganda to try to smear the Sanders campaign, this must be uncovered and prosecuted. If there is no further investigation, then we can assume the charges are false.

PhilYaz

Where have you been hiding for the last 6 months? Bernie’s Brownshirts have been attacking people at Trump rallies for months. There are only about 5000 videos on YouTube showing this.

Wake up. The extreme left is out of control and dangerously violent.

TS13

I am sitting hear LMAO reading your comment. Perhaps I should be crying. Have you stopped to think that passions and anger are high on both sides and whatever the outcome, it doesn’t bode well for our future. What I don’t hear is Bernie telling his supporters to commit or hint at violence but I cannot say the same for Donald.

Here’s some of Donald’s finest moments;

“If you see any somebody throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Just knock the hell out of them…. I’ll pay for the legal fees, I promise.”

“In the good old days, this doesn’t happen because they used to treat them very very rough. And when they protested once, ya know, they would not do it again so easily… they get away with murder because we’ve become weak. We’ve become weak.” -At this rally, a Trump supporter got so keyed up with rage that he punched a black protester to the ground.

“Part of the problem, and part of the reason it takes so long is nobody wants to hurt each other anymore, right?… Our country has to toughen up, folks. We have to toughen up. These people are bringing us down, remember that they’re bringing us down… These are not good people. These are not the people that are going to make our country great… these are the people that are destroying our country.”

I don’t condone violence but this country is teetering towards “third world” status before our eyes and all the guns in the world aren’t going to change that, in fact in its my opinion that they accelerate the process of entropy.

That we have pushed our way into every corner of the globe through fear, intimidation, the threat of violence, and actual violence to gain the lions share of what does’t belong to us, its no wonder our citizens act accordingly and they are being lead by the ultimate three ring circus ring leader. Its like watching a bad SciFi on the big screen.

We vote in people who may have our best intentions at heart but once the dollars are wiggled in front of their eyes then most cave. Either that or the promises made to secure the spot are past due and its time for the elected person to pay the Piper. And lastly, they are just too damned stupid to run yet they do…..No introspect…..

What does this say about us? We’ve spent all of our lives being taking sides, and instead of working together to make this a better place, it is through our own ignorance that we have ruined it.

Jenny Yasi

They turned out to be Trump trolls infiltrating to Dem convention.

Mark Gravel

Please show you proof otherwise readers will assume that you are desperate to avoid the truth – Bernie Sanders supporters are disrupting both parties.

todiscus

Mark, you’ve been shown the proof before and have had nothing to say. Remember: Trump would have done better with his daddy’s inheritance if he had simply invested in the S&P 500 and sat in the sun. I showed you the numbers, the proof, and the sources. No response. And you’re still a trumpster. I guess the readers know you can’t face the truth.

Mark Gravel

The topic was Trump’s trolls, so not sure how you got here from there. Moreover, Trump’s inheritance as a trust, you do know that trusts come with strings attached. Trumps business was build solely off a 1 Million dollar loan.

Next time you read those articles, not that they say “if Trump got xyz”, not that he did get xyz.

Drink Kool aide my liberal friend.

todiscus

Ignore the facts. Spin your junk. Back your loser.

Unpopular Opinion

Trump. Enough said.

todiscus

No proof. Spreading lies. And hiding from the truth for the last six months.

mycountry

This whole Nevada episode was in fact caused by Sanders people who showed up at that state convention but were not registered democrats as is required by party rules to become delegates and vote. When they were denies voting credential they simply rioted.

Unpopular Opinion

Which showcases a major concern with many people regarding the campaign process itself.

Jacqueline Curley

Dana Milbank’s column shows weakness in the Washington Post. Not factual. Here in Maine there was acrimony at the State Convention. No violence erupted because of the nature of the Sanders delegates here, but, given the Maine Democratic Party’s work done to coronate Hillary, as most states have done thanks to the National Chairwoman, there were many moments where the crowd in Maine was moved to just short of erupting. Instead, we put our energy into changing the super delegate system, successfully! What happened in Nevada can happen in any state where Sanders won the majority but isn’t getting the number of delegates he has earned. However, Bernie can in no way be responsible for the anger his delegates are expressing as he cannot be responsible for the Democratic Party’s unethical behavior and decisions.

Please. See Trigglypuff. She’s the perfect example of the modern left.

NefariousNot

“Not factual” is absolutely correct. Milbank apparently doesn’t possess the professionalism to first check the accuracy of a story.

It’s actually been proven that a well-known Nevada political reporter, named Jon Ralston, manufactured all of the violence accusations; and, the mainstream media (MSM) ran with it without doing any investigative fact checking (see “The Faux Fracas in Nevada: How a Reporter Manufactured a Riot”, published this past Wednesdy, 5/18/2016, at Counterpunch(dot)org – I tried posting the link here twice; but, my post apparently was killed by the Press Herald moderator; because, my reply didn’t persist once I posted it. Removing the link gets me out of the Press Herald moderator’s cross hairs).

This lack of fact checking and investigative reporting is typical of the MSM these days; and, Milbank’s column is typical of the Washington Post’s continuous, negatively biased treatment of Sanders.

Mark Gravel

Yet people were quick to blame Trump for violence from Bernie’s thugs.

PhilYaz

Bernie’s Brownshirts have been out of control for some time now, but now they are turning on their own, so the left has to actually address the issue.

Bernie is a student of the socialist/communist heroes of the past and as such, will welcome the tactics that they used to attain power, always involving violence and intimidation. If this wasn’t true, he’d be calling for immediate cessation of these actions, but we only hear crickets.

I’m getting the popcorn ready for the Dem convention. All hell is going to break loose.

rightwinga

Bernie is just hangin around because he know crooked hillary is headed to federal prison!

PhilYaz

I like the idea, but it won’t happen. She is the chosen one of the Democrat party and will be fully shielded from prosecution. Bernie is a sideshow clown as far as they are concerned. Well, for any thinking person, too.

Not Bob Moses

Don’t say “democrat” party, it makes you look like a complete idiot. It’s the Democratic Party.

Bob Rossi

I don’t like Hillary, but she’s not going to be prosecuted for anything, let alone go to prison.

TS13

If Hillary is heading to the federal pen, then shouldn’t Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and the rest of the crew get an adjoining cell?

rightwinga

No!

Moon cusser

yes!

justanotherfakename

You can demagogue against Bernie Sanders, attempt to disparage his character, but he has a life time positive, progressive record to look at, of peaceful resistance. When Sanders was young he was demonstrating for civil rights while Hillary Clinton was being a good Republican working for Barry Goldwater’s ‘conservative values.’ Now Hillary says she will basically put Bill Clinton back in the White House, the man who ratified NAFTA, gave us the Commodities Futures Modernization Act as a going away present, ushering in the too big to jail banking disaster. You like Hillary, you vote for her, she’s shown you what she’ll give you more of, war and financial corruption. Trump is a popular fascist, Hillary is unpopular corporatist. I won’t vote for either of them. That’s the best of America, Trump against Clinton?

Brian Peterson

Vote for Bernie and you would seem to get more brown-shirted thuggery, based on what we’ve seen thus far.

Triad

Just what “thuggery” are you referring to? The railroading of the Sanders delegates by the Nevada Democratic Party hierarchy? Though I have heard reports of violence, it seems there are no corresponding videos supporting these accusations. Would you please share some? I would especially appreciate seeing some of those “brownshirts” (more likely misidentified Trump supporters) rushing the stage, causing numerous medical emergencies. I mean, in this day of the ubiquitous cellphone, there must be at least ONE available. Additionally, it is easy to find out who placed threatening phone calls. Got any of those people identified yet?

justanotherfakename

You are right, there are no videos of violence at the event, because there was none, more lies and propaganda, and Dana Milbank should know better. Any phone threats should be checked out…to see where the source originated.

Mark Gravel

There are plenty of pictures if you just look for them.

todiscus

Show us the proof, Mark. Otherwise readers will assume….

todiscus

Huh?

Unpopular Opinion

Not likely.

justanotherfakename

There was no violence in Nevada, none, thus you are a liar, unworthy of an honest conversation.

todiscus

Spreading lies.

hpmcg

Given his penchant for shifting responsibility, were he Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump might accuse Trump supporters of crashing the party. A conspiracy theory might allow that since Sheldon Adelson, who owns much of Las Vegas has thrown his billions in support of Donald Trump, he might have kicked a few bucks in the direction of the troublemakers.

Call-Sol

Bernie has a decentralized OUT OF CONTROL campaign; obvious in Nevada. CHICAGO all over again? Doubt it, need a Mayor Daley for that….what socialist doesn’t love a good protest?

Milbank has just about been laughed off the Washington Post ; so he shows up in Maine….funny.

Moon cusser

He’s still with the WaPo, dummy.

duxndrakes

Milbank is an idiot,and a clinton boot licker. I cant stand Sanders,but he is about as intimidating as a lady bug.What a stupid story.

Fenwick

Sanders is loopy. In the future, everything will be free!

Please go away.

guest

Interesting double standard regarding coverage of the Sanders campaign. Notice that when the Sanders goons were showing up at Trump rallies they were allegedly speaking truth to power, but now that they’ve turned to the corrupt Democrat delegate-selection process they’ve become a threat.

“”We are socialist we are the enemy of todays capitalistic economic system for the exploration of the economic weak, with its unfair salaries, with its unseemly evaluation of a human being according to wealth and property instead of responsibility and performance and we are determined to destroy this system under all conditions.

Adolf Hitler on the 1st of May 1927.”

todiscus

Are you nuts? Off your meds?

Brian Messer

Sanders and his followers long ago gave up on winning for the democratic party, they only want to prove soemthing
Just read the responses on this page, all from the same playbook I don’t
know if they are Sanders supporters or Trump supporters posing as
Sanders people One thing is obvious: Sanders has tried to kick the
democratic party to the curb, thankfully and hopefully there are still
enough Kennedy, Carter, Johnson, Clinton, Mitchell, Muskie, Curtis
Democrats to prevail Sanders cares so little at this point he lies to
his supporters, plays games and tries to convince them of some great
“movement” (Maybe the is what his problem is) that will change the world
Look at the numbers, all he is doing is dragging the Democratic party
down No argument there are some vile people in the party,
Wasserman-Schultz needs to hide her head but there are a lot of good
Dems who have worked diligently for the working and the poor, Sanders
has forgotten them in his quest to be the new Messiah Now bring it on, I
have experienced the “You dare question Bernie Bots” before and it
doesn’t bother me at all

StrangeOneClearcut

I am over the Sanders Phenomena.At first he reminded me of some of the guys who I liked when I was a teenager protesting the vietnam war.And I tried to like him but he is not good for USA.He makes a few good points which I believe in but nothing else.He is the one trick pony rallying against the bad ultra-rich greedsters and not much else.
His followers are sounding very anal.Always attacking others.He is the Trump of the Liberals.
He would create big chaos and this is not cool.Those who rock the boat to much are not good politically.Creating chaos = creating anger.
HRC will only do small rocking of boat and not be a person to creat chaos politics.

Unpopular Opinion

Are Sanders supporters upset? Oh hells yeah!

Is it possible they caused damage at the Nevada convention, sure. But it’s also possible that it was instigated by Clinton-paid people.

You think I’m crazy, but let’s be honest – the Clinton campaign is corrupt and funded by the richest organizations in the world who want ANYTHING but a Sanders win.

They literally OWN the media that reported the events. How can you not be skeptical?